ISLAMABAD – New Pakistani premier Shehbaz Sharif and Russian PresidentVladimir Putin have quietly exchanged letters to boost ties between thesides.
*Express Tribune* reported that Islamabad and Kremlin exchanged lettersafter the election of Shehbaz as prime minister while both sides keptcommunication under wraps for some time to avoid any public attention.
The revelation surfaced as former PM Imran Khan claimed that his maidenvisit to Russia opposed Washington’s wishes, which led to his ouster.
Report quoting an anonymous foreign office official said President Putinpenned a letter to PM Sharif, felicitating him on his election, andexpressed his desire to deepen cooperation between the two nations.
Putin’s letter cited that “I hope that as Prime Minister you will seek tofurther promote closer multifaceted cooperation between Russia andPakistan, as well as partnership in the Afghan settlement and counteringinternational terrorism”.
Pakistani premier then wrote back to Putin expressing gratitude for hisfelicitation and expressed similar sentiments on bilateral ties between thetwo sides as well as cooperation in Afghanistan.
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Earlier, former PM Imran Khan claimed that he was ousted from premiershipin wake of an alleged US-backed vote of no-confidence, saying Washingtondid not want him to visit Moscow to meet President Putin on February 24.
Meanwhile, the US Department of State has repeatedly trashed the PTIchairman’s allegations that Washington plotted a regime change in Islamabad.
Earlier this week, US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson JalinaPorter said that Washington reiterated that there is absolutely no truth tothose rumours as alleged by the former Pakistani PM. She also hailed NSChuddle which opposed claim about a ‘foreign conspiracy’.
